Performing Arts

Spencer artists' studios open (10/01/08)
The upcoming Artisans Road Trip provides a unique opportunity for the art-loving public to see working artists' studios that are located in Spencer. During the weekend of Oct. 4 and 5, 10 Spencer artists open their studios or develop expanded exhibitions to offer a wide variety of new work for viewing and for sale at this special yearly event...

Briefs 9-26-08 (09/26/08)
"Artisans Road Trip: Before and After," currently on display at Arts on Grand, showcases over twenty-five of the regional artists involved in Artisans Road Trip 2008, which takes place on the weekend of Oct. 4--5. The artists reception for the exhibit will be at 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, with a gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. The public is cordially invited to come and meet some of the artists for conversation and refreshments...

Morrison's works to be featured during ART (09/26/08)
Professional artists will welcome guests into their studios to discover and purchase quality original works during the fifth annual Artisans Road Trip (A.R.T.) on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 & 5, Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from12 p.m.-5 p.m. The free tour will include 42 Northwest Iowa Artists representing 8 counties...

Prairie Fire Children's Theatre, LCT present "The Wizard of Oz" (09/25/08)
Join our Dickinson county children in a wonderful journey through the Magical Land of Oz, as they take the stage this weekend along with two professional actor/directors, Ben Ratkowski and ErinRose Sincevich, in Prairie Fire Children's Theatre's original musical production of "The Wizard of Oz"...

Elliott will showcase talents during ART (09/18/08)
Iowa artist Chad Elliott will be featured as one of the 40 artists opening their studios, workspaces or galleries as part of the 2008 Artisans Road Trip. Elliott will be hosting his art and music at Shaky Tree Coffee in Spencer during the event from 9 a.m.-5 fp.m., Saturday, Oct. 4 and 12-5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 5...

SHS Drama Department recognized for set design (09/18/08)
Spencer's Drama Department is the recipient of a fourth place honorable mention award in the National Set Builders Contest, sponsored by Sceno-Graphics Set Design Co. of New Wilmington, Pa. From the hundreds of entries in the contest, Spencer's entry was among the top 16 schools in the nation...

Disney-mania sure to ensue with Corbin Bleu (09/13/08)
Corbin Bleu is best known for his role as Chad in "High School Musical" alongside Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale. While HSM is what shot him to fame, Corbin won his first leading role in "Catch That Kid" opposite Kristen Stewart. He has also worked with quite the list of big name actors like Kurt Russell, Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Stiller and Hank Azaria, among others...

Clay County Fair Museum celebrates fair's 90th year (09/12/08)
Ninety years ago, the Clay County Fair Association hosted the first Clay County Fair on the new fairgrounds located on Grove Street. While the CCFA was incorporated in 1917, it was too late in the year to construct buildings and present a high-quality exposition. By the following year, a grandstand, woman's building, speed barns and the east entrance gate had sprouted up where corn had once grown...

Fair Treasure Hunt ready to roll (09/05/08)
Clay County fairgoers will have an opportunity to find out just how much they know about agricultural exhibits at the fair, and also have a chance to win great prizes with the second annual "Clay County Fair Ag Treasure Hunt." Visitors will have a chance to pick up a treasure hunt form from any of the fair information centers on the grounds. ...

Bogenrief to design ICCC sculpture (09/05/08)
When the doors to a new facility on the Iowa Central Community College campus open next July, work from local artists will be featured in it. Jesse Bogenrief of Bogenrief Studios in Spencer has been commissioned to complete an indoor sculpture for the Bio-Science Health Science Center on the Fort Dodge campus...

Briefs 9-04-08 (09/04/08)
Arts on Grand will host an "open mic" event at 7 p.m. tonight. This is an excellent opportunity for local artists to share their talents in a casual, supportive environment. Interested musicians, poets, or anyone else who would like to take part may sign up in advance at Arts on Grand or just show up that evening...

4-H non-livestock projects displayed at the State Fair (09/03/08)
The following Clay County 4-H members had non-livestock projects selected to represent the county at the Iowa State Fair. The exhibits were judged in Des Moines and exhibited throughout the run of the event. They will also be on display at the 4-H Exhibit Building at the Clay County Fairgrounds during the Clay County Fair...

Concert Association season tickets go on sale (09/02/08)
Season tickets for the Spencer Area Concert Association will go on sale Sept. 6 at Arts on Grand and at the Art Barn at the Clay County Fair. The 2008--09 season will be the biggest ever, with eight concerts in Spencer. Along with their season tickets, subscribers will receive an order form for tickets to the Vienna Boys Choir concert on Valentine's Day 2009. Tickets for the Vienna Boys Choir concert will go on sale to the general public on Nov. 1...

Hessman honored by the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame (08/21/08)
Dave Hessman, former Clay County Extension Education Director, was inducted into the 2008 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 17. Eighty-two Iowa counties have participated this year and selected inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H...

Going to the extreme (08/19/08)
During Saturday's preliminary adult street run competition at Extreme Am V in Spencer East Leach Skate Park, Nick Curry demonstrated not only his skateboarding talent, but his juggling talent as well. Performing a manual across the flatland at the skate park, balancing on a pair of boards, Curry began juggling three pieces of curb candy. ...

Monsanto Mobile Technology Unit stops in Spencer (08/13/08)
Monsanto's unique Mobile Technology Unit made a stop in Spencer and will remain in town through today as part of its tour through the United States, showcasing innovations in plant breeding and biotechnology to support farmer success. The new 53-foot-long traveling unit, (top right) with 1,000 square feet of exhibit space, will remain in place just west of the Clay County Regional Events Center in the parking lot through today, extending tour offers to groups throughout Clay County. ...

Chicago theater unites four Spencer grads (08/12/08)
In what seem to have been several "fated" coincidences, four Spencer High School graduates, all of whom were bitten locally by the theater bug, have connected in Chicago. Known for its intimate "storefront" theaters that seat between 30 and 100 people, Josh Odor, Ben Fuchsen, Aaron DeYoung and Eric Van Tassell can all testify to the inner workings of the "The Windy City's" theaters...

'Footloose' opens tonight at Spencer Community Theatre (08/07/08)
Spencer Community Theatre presents the northwest Iowa premiere of "Footloose," opening tonight and running through August 10. One of the most energetic musicals to hit the silver screen will rock the live stage when the Spencer Community Children's Theatre presents their Summer Teen production of "Footloose." Featuring a talented group of teens and adults in and around the Spencer area, "Footloose" tells the story of a young man who, after his father leaves him, moves to a small town with a ban on dancing.. ...

CF Industries donates to outfit shared firing range (08/05/08)
Mark Feldman of CF Industries, left, presents Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow with a $500 check to be used for the purchase of air turn targets for a proposed firing range. The Clay County Sheriff's office, along with the Iowa State Patrol, the city of Spencer and the Clay County Conservation Board, are in the process of building a firing range on county land that's been dedicated for this purpose by the Clay County Board of Supervisors. ...

PALS take part in Heritage Workshop (07/26/08)
Clay County PALS recently participated in a Heritage Workshop at Parker Museum designed to be an opportunity for hands-on learning of the art of baking bread and pies and to experience wash day with a wringer washer. Museum volunteers, Marilyn Meyer and Barb Chenhall shared their knowledge of bread baking with the attendees who mixed up bowls of bread dough and shaped it into a variety of rolls and loaves. While those baked it was time to move on to wash day with a wringer washer...

Much achieved on Achievement Day (07/23/08)
The 2008 Clay County Fair grew by hundreds of exhibits Tuesday as members of 15 Clay County 4-H clubs entered potential projects which were evaluated and critiqued during the annual 4-H Achievement Day. The daylong event, which was hosted in the 4-H auditorium on the Clay County fairgrounds, allowed youth to showcase what they've learned in their respective project areas...

Curiel's art-inspired vision building area's skill sets (07/01/08)
Louis "Tony" Curiel was mentored by several "substantial and influential people" during his student days at Rio Hondo Community College in California. The noted neon-glass blowing craftsman is returning that favor today at the Curiel/Reynolds School of Visual Arts...

Briefs 6-24-08 (06/24/08)
The Clay County Garden Club will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 at Arts on Grand, 408 N. Grand Ave., Spencer. The program will be on soil and roses. n For more information, contact Twila Henning at 262-1447 or Sue Biederman at 260-1143. --- The local Alzheimer's support group will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, June 30 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Spencer...

Turner to take stage Sept. 12 (06/14/08)
The versatile sound of hot country artist Josh Turner will entertain fans at this year's Clay County Fair. Special guest Luke Bryan will open for Turner at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, Sept. 12 in the Grandstand. A multi-platinum recording artist, Turner is best known for his unique sounding vocals that bring a fresh feel to today's country scene. ...

Nature photography instruction (06/05/08)
The Northwest Iowa Center for Photography, in conjunction with CR Gallery and Lost Island Lake Prairie Wetlands Nature Center, would like to invite interested photographers to sign up for a day of nature photography instruction to be given by Stan Buman, a nature photographer from Carroll. ...

SPACE announces regional convention for cultural workers (05/16/08)
The organizations and cultural non-profits that make up the Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy (SPACE) are hosting a regional gathering for cultural workers and other creative types in the northwest Iowa region. The Clay County Cultural Convention will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at the new Middle School in Spencer...

Clouse's work to be featured at PLAC (05/16/08)
Local artist and Pearson Lakes Art Center Assistant Curator, Danielle Clouse, will exhibit her current paintings in a show entitled: "Rural Abstraction: Recent Paintings by Danielle Clouse." In this show developed especially for the Pearson Lakes Art Center, Clouse will feature abstract oil paintings based on surrounding northwest Iowa landscapes...

Arnolds Park preps for 2008 opening (05/10/08)
By Anitra Wolf Special to the Daily Reporter Several new sets of wheels are propelling the Arnolds Park Amusement Park into its 2008 season. With new double go-carts and "new" bumper cars drawing patrons to the attraction, Marketing Director Jeanne Sieh says the park is set for a great year...

First-ever Corridor Art Trail open for viewing (05/08/08)
The first-ever Corridor Art Trail is now open with 21 artistic Adirondack chairs on display throughout the counties of Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet. The project, organized by the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation in a partnership with ArtsLIVE, will showcase local artists' abilities through Sept. 28...

SHS speech and drama students honored (05/08/08)
The Spencer Middle School Commons was the setting, and Spencer High School's speech and drama students were the cast of characters for the 2007-08 Annual Speech and Drama Awards Banquet held on Sunday, May 4. The evening began with the awarding of Spencer Community Theatre's annual scholarships, which were presented by SCT Executive Director, Connie Goeken. ...

BEAT THAT DONKEY (05/06/08)
Cyro Baptista and Beat the Donkey got the fourth and final season of the SPOT/Hancher Family Arts Adventure program started with a bang over the weekend with several activities geared for children and families on Sunday, followed by grade school specific programming at the old Middle School Auditorium during the day on Monday. ...

Briefs 05-03 (05/03/08)
Spencer fall youth football sign-ups today Registration for the Midwest Youth Football League fall session, for Spencer students entering the third through sixth grades will take place from 2-4 p.m., today in the Sacred Heart Catholic School gym. Registration forms will be available on site and participants will be fitted for helmets and shoulder pads at that time...

Briefs 05-02 (05/02/08)
Spencer fall youth football sign-ups Registration for the Midwest Youth Football League fall session, for Spencer students entering the third through sixth grades will take place from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, May 3 in the Sacred Heart Catholic School gym. Registration forms will be available on site and participants will be fitted for helmets and shoulder pads at that time...

SPOT enters its final year in Spencer (05/02/08)
By Randy M. Cauthron Managing Editor Cyro Baptista and Beat the Donkey will be in Spencer this weekend, performing a unique blend of music and offering a variety of special sessions for the public to kick off the fourth and final season of the SPOT/Hancher Family Arts Adventure series...

Briefs 05-01 (05/01/08)
Master's Mile participants Spencer High School will be hosting a Master's Mile at the Spencer Relays tonight. The Master's Mile will take place at approximately 5:45 p.m., tonight following the 4x800 meter relay. It is open to all ages 18 and older, male and female. All competitors should report to the finish line by 5:30 p.m...

Briefs 4-23 (04/23/08)
Photographers exhibit at Lakes Art Center Members of the Northwest Iowa Professional Photographers Association will have an exhibit in the Pearson Lakes Art Center Secondary Space thru May 22. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, April 24, from 6-7 p.m...

'Keep the Dream Alive' at Arts on Grand (04/02/08)
-Live telethon on SMU channel 3 to support ongoing AOG programming- Arts on Grand is asking the community to call in during their fund-raising telethon held live on SMU Channel 3 1-5 p.m., April 6. The telethon is part of a fund-raising blitz dubbed "Keep the Dream Alive," which is aimed at raising $20,000 for operational funds for Arts on Grand...

Keep the Dream Alive at Arts on Grand (03/19/08)
-Fund-raising blitz launches March 20- Arts on Grand is calling on the community to help with a fund-raising blitz dubbed "Keep the Dream Alive." A recent budget meeting of the Spencer Area Arts Council, which finds its home at Arts on Grand, brought to attention the need for operational funds for the art gallery...